I was watching Pumping Iron featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger and, even if you’re not trying to put 10kg on like I am, Arnie is one inspiring guy.

His focus is amazing. He clears everything out of his life leading up to a body building event and focuses only on it. Even to the point where he says he did not visit his father’s funeral because it would distract him from preparation for an upcoming event. I think this is a huge factor in him winning 7 times.

It leaves a tough question in my mind about focusing on studying vs one of my two startups. The benefits of focusing on one and only one are obvious. Perhaps focusing on different ones at different times of the year will still yield some fruit?

It was simply the strangest thing. Over the past week or so I’ve had my head deep in development mode for a new service to Australians that should be launched tomorrow in beta. Don’t Tell has always been on the back of my mind – it just isn’t moving as quickly as I want it to in the direction I want it to. How can I make it move the right way?

Cut back to Thursday night when I underwent surgery to have my collar bone put back into place by inserting some pins and a plate (I’m now part machine – look out!). Before the operation I’d lost a bit of my interest in Don’t Tell and all my other ideas, I just couldn’t get too motivated. Maybe it was because nothing was really happening, maybe because all my efforts seemed to hit brick walls, maybe this idea just wasn’t meant to work.

I went into surgery at about 7.30pm – 8pm and went under a general anaesthetic. I was knocked out about half way through a conversation with one of the surgeons…

Only to awake in a different room, with a nurse present (no surgeons), trying to finish that conversation! I realised the silliness of this and stopped talking, just lying there recovering and steadying my mind and breathing.

It was at this time that suddenly an entire deal structure, product channel and way of pushing Don’t Tell forward sprang into my mind. The whole thing! After surgery I couldn’t sleep because I was so busy writing everything down.

In trying to get www.donttell.com.au up with thousands of Australian women interested in fashion visiting each day I’ve had a lot of “yeah that’s a great idea” from both male and female friends. However, translating that “yeah that’s a great idea” into a “yeah I’ll tell all my friends” or a “yeah I’ll help you create content!” is a whole different ball game.

You’re making a pitch to the individual, you need to understand what they’re after and you need something to back it up. When I first started telling people my pitch – “it’s this great place where people can share clothes, fashion and beauty you should help out!” – it didn’t take into account their needs and I didn’t have enough content on the site to back anything up. I didn’t ask myself “why would they want to help?”

Now, whenever I’m speaking to anyone that says “yeah that’s a great idea!” I start thinking:

What is this person interested in? What are they passionate about? In this case of Mia her interest was in fashion and her passion was in writing. She just loves writing – so I gave her a blog!

What is their situation? The first person I tried to involve in www.donttell.com.au had just started a new job that they wanted to excel at. I tried to get them deeply involved in everything, I should have considered their situation and involved them in light, quick and fun tasks.

Once I can see the angle they’re coming from I look at what, at that exact moment they could start doing for Don’t Tell. It’s important that it must be something concrete, not everyone dreams as much as you or I do and can hang around for those dreams to start becoming reality.